What We Love

A peaceful and picturesque stay in Sardinia, with breakfast, a welcome drink and more Dining on delectable Italian cuisine while gazing out at the incredible views

Exploring the pretty town of Cala Gonone

Hiring a boat and spending the day beach-hopping

What To Know

The hotel is a 20-minute walk from town but there is also free shuttle service

Complimentary onsite parking is available

Free WiFi is pretty iffy

Availability

JS

Overview

An elegant hotel in beautiful Sardinia, with a dinner option, Sardinian treats and a discount on excursions

The Lowdown

Hotel Brancamaria is a four-star hotel just outside the Sardinian coastal town of Cala Gonone. With an understated elegance, it offers warm service and easy access to the majestic forests, mountains and beaches that surround it; a paradise for outdoor adventurers and beach junkies alike.
Dip in and out of the refreshing pool and indulge in an iced cocktail before dinner at Restaurant La Terrazza, with lovely country views and the sea peeking out in the distance. If you head down to the harbour, you can explore the restaurants there, or hire a boat to take you around the best local beaches.

Reviews

4.5Very Good697 Reviews

Welcoming

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

This was a difficult hotel to rate because on some points it is outstanding but a couple of things let it down for us.
Firstly, lets look at what makes it a great place to stay.
For me cleanliness is extremely important in any place I stay and the Hotel Brancamaria is spotless. The sheets were soft, the shower was good and the toiletries were good. Also, every morning our room was sorted straight after breakfast which was lovely.
The little welcome pack of biscuits was very tasty and a nice touch. The bed was a little firm for us but comfy and the curtains cut out all light.
The staff are superb. Very friendly and helpful from reception to wait staff to bar staff: the reception staff gave us some excellent recommendations for activities: the cocktails from the bar were extremely good.
The swimming pool is full size and on a roof with great views of the bay. It is not heated.

So..what was the problem you are thinking?
We had gone half board and although the choices looked good the food used very poor quality cuts of meat and was prepared with no attempt to create flavour. We are usually quite easily satisfied but on this occasion we could not eat there after 2 evenings. I would not eat there again unless I knew the chef had changed.

The other slight downside of the hotel was the decor. It has high ceilings and the pale pastel colours everywhere made it a bit school dining room. In general there was a lack of colour co ordination e.g. in bathrooms. A good interior designer could transform this place just through careful colour choices.

The hotel is also up the steep hill from the town and the shuttle bus stops at 7p.m. so if you do eat in town wear comfy shoes for the walk back.

Overall, I would possibly stay here again but B&B only unless the food improves. The hotel has the potential to be the best in the area but food and decor are important for perceptions of comfort and for us the hotel was not a perfect match.

Short break in Cala Gonone

Reviewed 3 weeks ago

We booked a last minute 3 day break, to visit Sardinia for the first time.
The hotel sits above the resort, with great views over the bay. The hotel staff, particularly reception staff, were very friendly and helpful.
Our room was ready earlier than expected, on the top floor overlooking the pool. Spacious, clean, with a comfy bed. Bathroom was large but with a small shower cubicle, toiletries disappointing, not as shown on web site.
We had taken the h/b option and had a Sardinian evening on our first night. Buffet service, plentiful and tasty.
The food on the other night was appalling, couldn't even eat the main meal of half a sausage, small piece of beef, a piece of fatty belly pork and cold potatoes. We ate out at a local restaurant on the last night!
Breakfast was ok, if you like fresh fruit, yoghurt and muesli, which we do.
The hotel offer a welcome drink, but you can only have either a vodka based cocktail or fruit juice, asked if we could have a beer or small glass of prosecco instead, but answer...no.
We took the boat trip organised by the hotel, to visit the caves along the coastline. At 35 euros, excellent value for money, taken to the port by the hotel's minibus, picked up at the end of the day. It is the same price as many of the trips offered at the port, however they ensure that there are no more than 12 on board, we were 8, so plenty of room to relax.
We enjoyed our stay in Cala Gonone, but would not return to the hotel unless they improved the food served.

Fabulous staff and super Hotel

Reviewed 7 months ago

We stayed for a week in July and loved it. The food was great and varied, the room comfortable and kept fantastically clean as was the hotel. The reception staff were very friendly and so helpful with our queries and questions and organising day trips.
The restaurant staff were really helpful and always smiling and happy.
Facilities were excellent and the mini-bus to the beach much appreciated.
Would definitely recommend it and go again.

I just do NOT understand the positive reviews of this place?!?!?

Reviewed 7 months ago

We visited at the tail end of the summer season and there were not many good options for hotels that were still open but the reviews were good so......we went for it.

We pride ourselves on choosing accommodations that are within keeping of the character of the region we are visiting. Opulence is not necessary but this hotel had NO character whatsoever. It is a big, cold feeling, monolith that stands out as an eyesore from the rest of the cute town. We took to calling it “The Big Green Monster” as it is not lit as beautifully as in the photo above, At night, large neon green bulbs are aimed directly at the structure so that the tall, rectangular structure glows green. If you prefer to sleep with the shade open in sea view rooms....your whole room does the same.

The good
- the staff was excellent! Helpful and friendly and efficient.
- room was very clean
- the we love the region and are definitely glad we had the opportunity to visit Cala Gonone and Dorgali in general

The rest-
The rooms are very small -even with an upgraded option with a view and a (silly, unusable, Juliet style) balcony. Not enough space to open 2 suitcases. They are stark of decor or character, smelled like cleaning products upon entry. Bed was hard and poor quality, rough linens and towels.

Sleep quality was the worst of all our stops in our Tour of Sardinia.
They offer coffee and tea options but no bottled water.
People smoke on the patio below and it wafted into the rooms above.
Breakfast was extremely poor quality. We decided to go elsewhere even though it was included in our stay.
They give you towels for the pool and beach but charge you to trade them in for fresh ones.
The pool itself was large and inviting but the deck around it was anything but.

Ultimately, we spent most of our day out and about and enjoyed Cale Ganone but don’t see the appeal of this sterile hotel with no soul.

Great hotel in lovely location

Reviewed 7 months ago

We stayed in this hotel recently and found the staff (particularly Valentina) very helpful and friendly.The room was as requested prior to our stay on the top floor end of corridor with a topper to ensure the bed was soft and comfortable. Our room had a sea view and was scrupulously clean - although don't much see the point of the Juliette balcony - you can't sit out on it! The food was of a very good standard and presented nicely - again staff in the restaurant always welcoming and attentive. There was a wine tasting one night, with no obligation to buy and another night there was a Sardinian food experience with accompanying songs - very nice touch and good voices.The pool is very big but also very cold so you have to be quite dedicated to use it.